Manaka Means The Demon Within
by CockyRoach
Summary: It has been many generations since Uzumaki Naruto became the sixth Hokage of Konohagakure. New villages stand alongside Konoha to face a deadly threat. Two young rivals are caught in the middle, one on each side. Who will win? Rated T for violence.
1. Prologue: Rivalry and Runaway

As said in my profile, this story is based on the RPG site Shinobi: Living Legends (http://nara11. do not own Naruto.

Koudo Daichi and Nekobastu Zane (9th Hokage) belong to Hokage, admin of Shinobi: Living Legends. Hokage is also credited with the general plot of the story.

Hyuuga Shimaru and Sarutobi Mara belong to me.

Oh, and at first, the title is not going to seem like it has anything to do with the story, but be patient. It will be made clear.

Secondly, if you came here looking for any sort of romance whatsoever, you are in the wrong place, and you should turn around and go read some mushy SasuSaku story or something.

And Mara is not going to be a Mary Sue character. The story is actually going to center around Shimaru, although he and Mara kind of share the status of main character. The prologue is mostly from Shimaru's point of view.

I would appreciate any constructive criticism you have, as well as comments about what you like.

-------

_Long ago, the land was in chaos, innocent people were dying, villages falling, and even the land itself seemed shrouded in darkness. It was during the time of the First Hokage, when it was decided the land must be saved from a war that had caused the land to tear itself apart. Seven ninja were chosen, each willing to die for their village. Together, these ninja forged seven stones of great power. The power of the stones was never told, only witnessed by those around, but by using the stones, these seven ninja stopped the wars, the death, and all the hell that broke loose. The were named the ultimate power, unstoppable by any mortal force._

_It was granted that the stones together could bring the land into darkness as it once had been, so it was decided the stones would be separated, so they would never be reunited, and so that the land would forever remain in peace. Each village was given a stone, and a few of the countries were also awarded a stone. This was the wish of the great leaders, who were willing to do anything to keep their villages safe. It was in future generations of ninja that the stone would be given to someone else, the new leader, or Kage of that area. The stones would be handed down to only the most trusted ninja who would willingly give their life to ensure the stone would never be stolen. With this, the land was at peace, and eventually, as the land changed, the stones moved._

_After the time of Uzumaki Naruto, the Sound and Star villages came into greater power, becoming major villages. Somehow, the new great villages acquired the stones. Now, in a new era, a new enemy is rising, and the ninja of Konohagakure were once again caught in the middle._

_Stones:_

_Konohagakure: Ruby_

_Sunagakure: Quartz_

_Kirigakure: Sapphire_

Kumogakure: Citrine 

_Iwagakure: Tourmaline_

_Otogakure: Tanzanite_

_Hoshigakure: Emerald_

_----- _

Nekobatsu Zane, ninth Hokage of Konohagakure, was standing in the shade next to the Konoha ninja academy. A crowd of children and parents milled around the area in front of a wooden stage. Everyone was trying to find seats for the admission ceremony. The parents were trying to control their unruly children, who did not want to sit still.

"Hyuuga Shimaru, you get back here this instant!" a woman yelled as she chased a small boy across the cleared area.

Zane chuckled as the children ganged up on their parents. Despite their determination to get away now, they would take their seats as quick as lightning when it was time to start. Konoha was a shinobi village, and almost every child dreamed of becoming a ninja. The Hokage pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket and read it over one more time. He sighed and crumpled the paper yet again. He hated these formal events, but they were important. He started walking toward the platform, but before he had taken two steps, something caught his eye.

On the edge of the crowd, sitting on the outside of the group of chairs, one family sat in silence. The mother and father were seated on either side of a dark-haired girl, the only child in the area that was not causing havoc. Instead, she was reading a book, a school textbook, which was not something you would normally think of as appropriate for a child so young. Her parents glanced at her nervously, as if her lack of enthusiasm scared them. None of the other entering students paid any attention to the girl.

Zane shrugged off a momentary chill that crept its way down his spine. Pasting a cheerful smile on his face, he mounted the steps that led to the wooden platform.

-----

"Hey, Shimaru, look at that grumpy face." Shimaru's friend whispered in his ear.

Both of them had already gone up on stage to be officially received into the Academy, and now they were bored. But someone on stage had caught their attention. Shimaru nodded and grinned along with his friend as they watched the girl shake hands with the Hokage. She was the only one who did not smile.

"Yeah, no motivation at all, that one. She'll be gone before the first semester is over."

-----

Zane wandered among the students and their parents during the reception, trying to congratulate and encourage as many of them as possible. As he scooped some more punch, he saw the girl again, standing next to her parents as they talked. Smiling brightly, he walked over and shook hands.

"It's great to have your child in the Academy. Call me Zane." He said, for he could see the dreaded title 'Hokage' forming on their lips.

"Sarutobi Roiyaru." The man, said, shaking the proffered hand. "And this my wife, Nara Sarutobi Yasashi, and our daughter, Mara."

The girl in question looked up from the cup of punch she had been scrutinizing and nodded to Zane. Not a smile, not a bow, just a nod. As the girl's dark eyes met his, the shiver again presented itself, the cold feeling of being examined and watched. Then it was gone, and Mara was staring at her punch again. Roiyaru and Yasashi were watching him nervously, wondering how he would react. Roiyaru hesitantly touched Zane's arm and drew him away, while Yosashi bent down to whisper the rules of courtesy in her daughter's ear.

"I'm sorry about that." Roiyaru said, frowning. "Mara…well, she's shy. At first we thought that it was some sort of mental condition but…the doctor said it didn't match anything she'd ever seen so…" he shrugged. "She should grow out of it. The Academy will be good for her."

Now Zane was frowning. It was extremely rare for parents to admit that their child was less than perfect. _They must really be worried_. He thought.

"Now, I'm sure she'll do fine, but I'll ask the teachers to keep an eye on her if you like. We were all shy once." Zane said, in a vain attempt to soothe Roiyaru.

The Hokage walked away as casually as he could, and looked around for someone else to talk to, while he filed the conversation away for future reference. Hyuuga Oruga, second in command of that famous kekkai genkai clan, hurried up to him, looking flustered.

"Have you seen Shimaru? No, I don't suppose you have. I'm about to retract his Academy admission. If he gets any better at hiding, we'll never see him again!" The Hyuuga looked serious.

"No, but I'm sure he'll be under the table or something. Look for his little gang of practical jokers, why don't you? Not all of them can hide as well as Shimaru, and they might lead you to him." Zane suggested.

Just then, there was a loud splash, and a collective gasp from behind them. When Zane turned around, Shimaru was there, dodging in and out between the adults, taunting the small girl he had just dumped punch over.

"Better not smile, your face'll break! Bet you can't even talk, 'fraidy-cat!" The Hyuuga child was grinning from ear to ear as he danced a circle around Mara, who, though dripping wet, was still holding her own cup. Mara's eyes were not angry or surprised. They were set and concentrated, and her left hand was balled into a fist at her side.

"Shimaru, you stop that this instant!" Oruga shouted at his son, attempting to intercept his determined child. "Apologize! You're a disgrace to the Hyuugas!"

In the end, Oruga didn't catch Shimaru, but Mara did. The daring little Hyuuga hopped too close. There was another splash, and the crackling crunch of plastic as Mara emptied her own punch right into Shimaru's face. He froze in place, and Mara took the opportunity to crush the red plastic cylinder on Shimaru's nose and left eye.

"Mara!" Yasashi's reproving voice was shocked, and she took her child firmly by the hand. "We're leaving."

"So are we. I don't ever want to see you do this again, Shimaru!" Oruga seized his prankster prodigy by the sleeve and practically dragged him in the opposite direction, away from the scene of his embarrassment.

Zane looked after each receding family, confused for a moment. Then he shook his head and smiled.

_Oh boy. The teachers are in for a real riot this year._

_----- _

"Aww, man, I wonder when we're ever going to get our grades in. My parents won't stop bugging me." A sandy-haired boy swung around in circles on the tree branch.

"They said to go check this evening. Don't you remember?" Shimaru sat leaning against the trunk, his gray Hyuuga eyes closed as he enjoyed the summer sun.

Despite his tumultuous beginning, Shimaru was now known for his calm, serious, rational behavior in the face of trouble. He had given up practical jokes…for the most part. The odd teacher still found a bucket over his door, but nothing that could be accurately traced to Shimaru. Instead, the now seven-year old Hyuuga put his energy into becoming the stealthiest student in the academy. He had high threshold of pain for such a young child. He was always composed and unruffled, although a sardonic smile always lurked just under the surface. However, there was still one person who could break his shell and get under his skin: Sarutobi Mara.

That evening, Oruga dragged Shimaru over to the Academy to see the posted grades. All the scores were up on a bulletin board. The teachers believed that this publicity would encourage the students to get better grades. There was already a small crowd of parents and student blocking the board.

"Hey Shimaru, I heard someone say they saw you at the top. Figures, you're always the best at everything." Shimaru's friend gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder.

Shimaru smiled slightly and nodded. "Maybe." He said, trying to take the compliment gracefully.

When they finally got to see the scores, it was the taller adults who made the first comments.

"Good job, son." Oruga said, clapping Shimaru on the shoulder.

Shimaru's friend stood on tiptoe and peered and board.

"Darn, in the middle again. Lucky me. And at the top, of course…" his face suddenly lightened a shade.

"What is it?" demanded Shimaru.

"Nothing-"

But now Shimaru could see the long list of grades, and he knew what it was that had made his friend nervous. Shimaru's name was indeed at the top…well, almost. There was one name above his. Sarutobi Mara.

Shimaru could feel his fists clenching, shaking. Mara! Why did it always have to be Mara? She didn't have any friends, and she spent all her time reading in a corner. Heck, she didn't even talk to anyone except the teacher! Why should she get a good grade?

Keeping his voice deliberately calm, Shimaru tried to sound as if it was no big deal.

"Hey, don't worry. She's just a teacher's pet."

But they both knew it wasn't true.

-----

Shimaru straightened in his seat, watching and waiting as the teacher read out the teams to the newly graduated Genin in the room. He was now ten years old, and wearing the Konoha headband across his forehead. His calm, pupiless eyes stole a glance across the room at the dark haired girl who sat with her eyes closed and her arms folded. Her headband was wrapped around her left upper arm.

"Team Three under Hyuuga Kouro: Inuzuka Urusai, Sarutobi Mara, and Hurano Chijin."

Brushing her long hair behind her ear, Mara stood and walked out the door with the rest of her new team. Shimaru glared after her until the door closed.

"Team Five under Koudo Daichi: Uzumaki Hyro, Yakamana Ronin, and Hyuuga Shimaru."

Shimaru got up, nodding sadly to his friend as he passed. Then, as he paused in the doorway, he smiled. He was a real shinobi now!

-----

A twelve-year-old Shimaru was wandering aimlessly around the training ground area. He was bored.

_If you've punched one dummy, you've punched them all._ He thought. He was walking past a clearing with a large dead stump on one side. Suddenly, there was a solid _crack_, like someone had just taken a hammer to the stump from the other side. Curious, he tiptoed around to the other side.

It seemed that his guess had not been far off. Mara stood on the other side of the stump, next to a sizeable dent in the bark. Her right hand was bleeding at the knuckles. Her eyes were closed, whether in frustration or pain, he couldn't tell. But Shimaru decided this would be the perfect time to needle his emotionless rival.

"Hey, Mara." He said, stepping out from behind a tree. "I heard you got in trouble on your mission today."

Mara opened her eyes and stared coldly at him, but said nothing.

"Something about leaving your team behind." Shimaru continued, "You really should know better. Teamwork and patience are two of a ninja's most valuable skills."

Still no reaction from Mara.

"They called your parents in, I bet. Of course, that might have been a mistake. Your mother wouldn't know a mistake from a-"

_BAM!_

Shimaru had been so busy thinking up taunts that he had failed to notice when they finally produced a reaction. He finally noticed when his head snapped back and he was thrown into the tree behind him.

"Insult me to please your petty ego if you must, Hyuuga. But leave my parents out of it." Mara's voice was a low growl.

Shimaru stared up at her from where he had fallen. It was the first time that Mara had ever spoken to him. In fact, it was the most words he had ever heard her say at one time.

Then it was his turn to get angry. He jumped to his feet and lashed out with one chakra-encased palm. It was the traditional Juuken Hyuuga fighting style. But it didn't land.

Mara was already moving, backwards and to the left. She was usually a long-range fighter, and close combat with a Hyuuga was not a good idea. However, she wasn't carrying her normal set of throwing knives, so there really wasn't much choice.

Shimaru tried to spin in place and pace her movement, but it didn't work. Another blow hit him on the back of the neck and sent him sprawling. _Dang it, when did she get so fast?_ Normally, when one saw Mara, she wasn't moving.

The fight only lasted a few minutes, but it was something that would be burned into Shimaru's memory for the rest of his life. When it was over, he could barely move. His muscles were sore from being pummeled by an opponent that was never there when he turned, and his chakra was nearly spent for hits that never landed. He was still trying to get back up when a sharp pain in his ankle forced him to abandon the effort. _It's broken…_ he realized. He tensed, fully expecting another blow, but nothing happened.

When he twisted around to look, Mara was walking away towards the village, not even bothering to look back.'

-----

_The Chunin exams were over. Both Shimaru and Mara had left their teams behind in the preliminary to the third round. Shimaru was eliminated in the third round of the tournament, while Mara went on to become the overall winner. Seven ninja became Chunin that year. _

_A little under a year later, Iwagakure launched a surprise attack on Konoha, and the ninja were called out to fight. Konoha eventually won, but not before both of Mara's parents fell in battle. One of the undertaker ninja was the last person to see her. He later reported that she had come to where they had gathered the dead and walked to straight to her parents' bodies. "She just stood there for awhile," the unfortunate undertaker told Mara's old team leader, Kouro, "looking down at them. She didn't really looked sad…more…I don't know, relieved. After a couple of minutes she just walked off. Didn't say a word." That was the last time Mara was seen in Konoha._

_No one except for Mara herself knows for sure why she ran off that night. A team was sent after her, but they came back empty-handed. She left no message, and took nothing except her weapons and what she could carry in the small pouch she always wore at her waist. Nothing was heard of her for about six months. Then a report came from Otogakure in a sarcastic message to the Hokage, asking if they had misplaced one of their ninja. A girl brazenly wearing a broken Konoha headband, had killed one of their Jonin commanders._

_----- _

The moon was a mere sliver in the velvet expanse of the sky, its feeble light no brighter than that of any one of the numerous stars that looked down on Otogakure. A few night watchmen on the perimeter dozed with their eyes open, lulled by the warm peace of the summer night. Within the city, all was dark and quiet…until the shadows began to move. Shifting and changing, the darker patches flowed noiselessly like water from a relentless tide, intent on reaching its destination.

The Shadow Shroud, Mara's signature jutsu, required attention to detail, but not much chakra, especially on a perfect night like this. It was a strange feeling, really, being back in a village. This was the first time she had entered any of the shinobi villages since she had left Konoha. But she felt no attraction to it. She would just do her job and leave.

Feeling the rough stone beneath her hand, Mara vaulted over the wall, landing without a sound, merely another shadow in the courtyard. A light was on in a third-story window. Hmm, so he hasn't gone to sleep yet. No matter, I can't afford to wait. The bricks and decorative ledges of the official building provided ample hand and footholds. In seconds, she was crouching next to the window.

Kiseno Arenai was working late in his private study, pouring over the numerous reports from the Chunin under his command. The small room was dimly lit by a single lamp over his desk, which faced a small window that faced out towards the gate. Arenai felt a slight breeze and looked up with a frown at the window he could have sworn was closed a second ago. He got up to close it, but he only taken a single step when the door opened, admitting his wife, bearing a tray of food.

Mara cursed inwardly as she saw the door open, but there was nothing she could do. The knife was already flying. As it buried itself in Arenai's head, his wife dropped the tray and screamed. Stupid woman! She moved to crouch on the windowsill and stretched out her hand to recall her blade. For a instant, as she let the Shadow Shroud drop to catch the knife, her cold, dark eyes locked with those of Arenai's horrified spouse. Then the hilt of the dagger hit Mara's outstretched palm with a soft thunk. The moment broken, the woman began to scream again. Mara was about to throw the knife again when lights were turned on in the house next door. With an irritated growl, more animal than human, Mara sheathed the blade and lept down lightly to the ground, wrapping the Shadow Shroud around herself once more. Moving right past the watchmen running in the other direction, Mara slid out the front door and the village erupted into chaos behind her.

-----

_She was suspected to be in collaboration with an infamous organization known as the Kagai. The Kagai were styled after the Atasuki in tales of old, but no one knows what their goal is this time around._

_It has been almost two years since Mara was spotted in Otogakure. Several more assassinations have been attributed to her, but no one has found evidence enough to convict her. Konoha declared her an S-class criminal and first priority threat to the village. Despite numerous searches, no one has seen her since that night in Oto. Shimaru, her childhood rival, is among those still searching. The Hyuuga has risen in the ranks of the Konohagakure shinobi, and hopes to one day become the leader of ANBU._

_-Konoha military report, filed by Koudo Daichi_

-----_  
_

Wow, that was a long prologue. I'm reading in at 8 pages in Microsoft Word. The hardest part about this is going to be keeping it from becoming a novel-length book.

Well, at least this is done. Who knows when I'll get the first chapter up? It's probably going to be even longer than this!

Not good…


	2. Chapter 1: Obsessions Require Work

Okay, first chapter time!

What we have here is the classic "time skip." Both of the main characters have changed a lot in the three years since the prologue. Mara left Konoha when she was 15. Of course, I already said that at the end of the prologue. Oh well.

The Naruto ninja world does not belong to me.

Koudo Daichi belongs to Hokage, admin of the site Shinobi: Living Legends. There is a link to the site on my main page.

_It has been almost three years since Mara was spotted in Otogakure. Several more assassinations have been attributed to her, but no one has found evidence enough to convict her of any of them, in the unlikely event she should ever be brought to trial. Konoha declared her an S-class criminal and first priority threat to the village. Despite numerous searches, no one has seen her since that night in Oto. Shimaru, her childhood rival, is among those still searching. The Hyuuga has risen in the ranks of the Konohagakure shinobi, and hopes to one day become the leader of ANBU._

_-Konoha military report, filed by Koudo Daichi_

------

A tall boy, if he could still be called a boy, stood in front of a large dead tree stump. What had once been a mighty member of the landscape was now a punching target. Most of the bark had been stripped away, revealing the harder, slippery white wood beneath. But the stump hopefully wouldn't be around much longer. The boy brushed a strand of black hair out of his face and contemplated the stump. His eyes were pupiless and gray-white, like all the members of the Hyuuga Clan.

Closing his eyes to concentrate, Shimaru adopted the traditional Hyuuga fighting stance. He concentrated on his palm. Bright blue chakra appeared in copious amount and began to twirl and writhe like a snake, held under control by some unseen force. Suddenly he whirled around once in a 360 degree turn, a mere blur to the eyes, and did what appeared to be a palm-heel strike that landed on the air about six inches from the tree stump. A blast of blue wind of staggering power blasted from his hand and ripped into the tree trunk, tearing into it with hungry force. _No, not focused enough. Okaji-sensei said it had to tunnel through the object. _Using his Byakugan, Shimaru narrowed the stream of chakra down to a smaller, more concentrated force, visualizing it going right through the heart of an enemy.

_The enemy._

Suddenly he lost control and was blown over backwards by the rest of the attack. Coughing, he pulled himself back up using a rock next to him, which he had been very lucky not to land on. Frustrated and tired from his elaborate jutsu, he brushed away the same strand of hair yet again.

_Why? Even when she's gone, she's a nuisance._

At eighteen years old, Shimaru was a Chunin, almost ready to test for Jonin. He had been in the same year as a certain quiet, pathetic little girl whom he had bullied in the Academy. Sarutobi Mara hadn't seemed like much. But one day, when they were both new Chunin, he had gone one step too far and insulted her parents. The formerly shy girl and rounded on him and given him the worst beating he had ever received. He was unconscious for about an hour, and when he had hobbled painfully home, he had had to explain to his parents why he was covered in blood and dirt. The fight had become the hot topic of gossip for ninjas of all ages. Then the little upstart had had the gall to up and leave the village. _What kind of ninja is she, anyway? Someone has to teach her that you can't turn your back on Konoha, and I'm going to be the one to do it._

_-----_

Silently, he watched the Hyuuga boy train. He hadn't been the same since Sarutobi Mara left the village. His determination was extraordinary, almost like the tales of Uzumaki Naruto, trying to get Uchiha Sasuke back. _Shimaru..._ the figure thought silently. Daichi moved his hand over his slightly long blond hair, while his dark blue eyes focused on the training boy. Daichi quickly leaped down from the tree he had been sitting in and approached his former student.

"You want to bring her back, don't you, Shimaru?" Daichi asked, feeling pity for the boy.

"I've seen you. Ever since she left, you've trained so hard. Not even the ANBU black ops train this much. If it isn't crossing the line, may I ask why you are so determined to bring her back, the one who betrayed Konoha? That is why you're training, correct?" The Hyuuga clan trained strictly, but this was ridiculous. No one should train to the point of exhaustion, so often. _Shimaru, are you the one who tore all the bark off that tree?_

_-----_

Shimaru quickly stood and straightened his robe as the other ninja spoke. He had been so intent on pulverizing the tree that he hadn't noticed he was being watched. When Daichi first started speaking, he opened his mouth as if to protest, but he closed it again. He should have known that Daichi would have noticed, and any denial of his purpose would just sound childish. Nonetheless, it was hard to meet Daichi's eyes as he tried to think of how to explain.

"Omniscient as ever, Daichi-sama," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

But Daichi's eyes stared down at him as seriously as ever. Shimaru lowered his gray eyes.

"Yes, I want to bring her back." he said quietly, as if ashamed of the fact, which, partly, he was.

How could he tell Daichi that most of his determination came from mere wounded pride?

"I just feel...I don't know...like I'm responsible for her leaving. I just...need to know why she left."

Even as he said it, he realized that it was true. So what if he had another reason? Those two were true, even if they weren't what he thought about when he trained.

For years, he had secretly envied Mara. She had always gotten better grades, and had always looked like the better ninja. He had started teasing her because he thought it made him feel a bit more superior. Back in the Academy, her very presence had made him feel inferior. Whether she had known it or not, she had become his rival, the top bar that he had to surpass in order to be a great shinobi. It baffled him why someone with such promise would just abandon the village like that. It bothered him, because inwardly, he knew Mara was probably smarter than he would ever be. She had to have had a good reason. What would he do if that reason were, say, an irreparable problem with Konoha?

Daichi closed his eyes.

"I see, so you train to the point of bitter exhaustion every day, just to bring her back. It's not healthy. Besides, you'll be a Jonin soon. You won't have the time to train so often when you start getting missions, or students."

Shimaru said nothing, and Daichi sighed.

"At the rate you train, you'll be a Jonin in no time, then probably an ANBU. What will you do if you are assigned a mission to find and kill an S-class criminal named Sarutobi Mara?" The teacher stared seriously down at the student, waiting for an answer.

Shimaru blinked, confused for a moment. Truth be told, he had never really considered that scenario, which was odd. Mostly he had been worried about actually getting to that point, rather than what would happen afterwards. _Do I really want her dead?_

The more he thought about it, he realized that in his mind, he had always envisioned bringing Mara back alive, but in reality, that was not what happened with S-class criminals, and the Mara he had known was not the type to surrender.

Swallowing hard, Shimaru replied, trying to sound confident. "I would follow orders, sir. As an S-class criminal, she's a security threat, especially since she came from Konoha."

It was the textbook answer to the difficult question. _And I will follow orders, _he told himself, _I just have a question for her to answer first._

It had been his dream to become a feared ANBU member, like his father and Daichi. He knew that was where he was headed. He just wasn't sure how soon he could get there. But lately, he realized, he had been so obsessed with becoming stronger, he hadn't thought about his dream much. Ironically, his new focus may have helped to speed his way towards the very goal he seemed to have forgotten.

Daichi walked towards Shimaru and rolled up his right sleeve. His voice was both sad and angry to Shimaru's ears.

"S-class criminals are a danger to the village, they have information that could destroy this very village. But I still couldn't kill the man who gave me this scar. Morino Taizen is an S-class criminal who put his name in for Hokage when the 8th Hokage died, before Nekobatsu Zane came in. He wasn't given the position, so he left the village. I was among the team sent to kill him, with some ANBU and hunter-nin." He paused looking at the scar then continued, "I found him. I was sent to scout ahead, being the fastest. My only choice then was to fight him, or he would've gotten away. I could've killed him, but I hesitated, because he was from Konoha. Taizen was my teacher when I was a Genin, but he did not hesitate like I did. I almost died that day."

Daichi stopped talking for a moment and removed the cloth around his neck, underneath were many scars, several leading down further.

"If my team had not caught up with me when they did, I wouldn't be here talking to you. All this because I hesitated for one second. The bond that Konoha creates is strong, and Taizen had taught me so much." Daichi narrowed his eyes, then continued his speech, "So, understand me when I say this. If you plan on stopping her, you better not hesitate, because you might not be as lucky as I was. Had I reached home a few moments later, I likely would've died from blood loss, so trust me when I say, S-class criminals don't care for their old bonds, or ties. They will kill anyone that could cause them trouble, even their own student."

Daichi took a step back from the shocked Hyuuga.

"Shimaru, if you want to prove to Mara how strong you have become... you had better be ready to kill, that... or be killed. When I went after Taizen, I wasn't ready, and that's what almost cost me my life."

Shimaru watched Daichi's face as he talked about his encounter. The scar that tore down the Joinin's skin seemed to burn itself into his brain. _See this?_ Said the voice in the back of his head. _This is what will happen if you hesitate. You have to finish the job. If you kill her, you'll have surpassed her once and for all. _Of course, that was the reasonable part of his brain. No matter how much he resolved to finish the job, there always seemed to be a lingering seed of doubt that ate away at him. It seemed that the only way to find out what he would do in the end was to confront the situation head-on.

"I know, Sensei. Thank you." Shimaru said quietly, seriously sobered by what he had just heard. "But you don't have to worry. There was never a 'bond' between me and Mara unless it was one of hatred."

That was mostly true. The only thing that would make him hesitate was getting the answer to his question. Whether he admitted it or not, he respected Mara. But in the end, that wouldn't matter. Still, the situation that faced him was eerily similar to the one Daichi had described.

"Sensei...Morino Taizen...he's supposed to be in that same group as Mara, isn't he? The Kagai."

Daichi placed the cloth from his uniform back on his neck, and pulled the sleeve over his arm once more.

"Morino Taizen is with the Kagai. In fact, he's its founder, though he has no interest in leading it. His goal now seems to be to destroy Konoha." He said calmly, putting a hand on Shimaru's shoulder. "I made a great mistake in the past... but I am willing to make mistakes, if others are willing to learn from them."

Shimaru nodded. So, Daichi had a stake in this too.

"I think I have learned something, Sensei. I think there is something I understand better now." He said, smiling at his mentor.

Really, he was very lucky to have a sensei whose predicament had been, and was, so similar to the one he himself was now facing. _I will fight...and I will win._ He thought, clenching his fists by his side.

Shimaru knew now that leaving Konoha was not a sign of strength; it was sign of weakness and irresponsibility. Of giving up. To most children, rogue shinobi like the Kagai were fearful legends, but in reality, they were those who didn't have enough self-control to become good ninja. All these thoughts ran through Shimaru's head, filling him with a new sense of hope and confidence. Of course, you still couldn't underestimate the Kagai. But now, they no longer had a hold of fear on him.

Daichi smiled, and then removed his hand from Shimaru's shoulder. The sensei turned and examined the tree that Shimaru had been practicing on.

"You know, releasing chakra with perfect timing is a hard thing to do, especially during battle. I didn't master it till I was twenty-one. You have a good start though, and if you keep practicing, you'll do fine." He said.

Daichi focused his chakra in his own hand and struck the tree, making a deep handprint.

Shimaru watched him carefully, noting how he focused and held his hand. He raised his own hand to try the same thing, and then dropped it. He was already tired from his earlier session, and Daichi was right. It wasn't healthy to keep yourself in a constant state of exhaustion.

"I'll keep working on it, Daichi-sensei. I think I just get distracted too easily. I keep doing it too fast. At the speed I work now, it would be too easy to dodge in a real battle, but I think I've got my priorities straightened out now. Once I master the technique, I'll work on speed."

Shimaru contemplated Daichi's handprint next to his own effort, which had barely made a dent in the tree. As he experienced how much effort it took to get that good, he admired Daichi all the more. He wiped one dirt-stained hand on his black-and-red robe, then grinned ruefully.

"I don't suppose you could give me any hints on how to do that?" he asked.

"Well, if I tell you, you probably wont like it." Daichi said, running a hand through his unruly hair. "Time, effort, practice, but most important of all, will. The will to keep trying. But I think you're already doing that. Perhaps, you should think of something that will help you focus. Then, you could release the chakra when you feel it has a strong chakra flow, just by itself. I know it sounds like gibberish, but my sensei had told me the same thing."

"Of course, practice makes perfect." Shimaru said with a tired laugh.

It was a lesson that every ninja learned before they even became Genin. Once, Shimaru had asked why teachers insisted on repeating this lesson, and he had been told: "Because this lesson is the most important thing you'll ever learn. It makes the difference between failure and success."

Furrowing his brow, he considered his sensei's other bit of advice. _Release the chakra when you feel it has a strong chakra flow, just by itself._

"A flow just by itself? That sounds like a riddle or something." he sighed. "I suppose that means I can solve it like any other riddle: with lots and lots and lots of thought and concentration. Ah well, at least now I have something to do when I get home."

_Speaking of home, I should probably be going. I didn't notice it was so late._ Indeed, the sun was just beginning to touch the horizon, although it had been straight overhead when Shimaru had started.

"I suppose I should go before I miss dinner," he said. He didn't really want to leave, especially now that Daichi was here. Daichi had a way of making him see things from another angle.

"I guess it could be a riddle, couldn't it?" Daichi said, laughing. "I wouldn't worry to much, Shimaru. You'll make a great ninja someday soon, but remember, you have to wait for the sun to rise on that day, after the night."

Shimaru answered with a mock salute, his spirits completely restored at the thought of dinner.

"Yessir, Sensei-sir! I'll be out here tomorrow if you think up any more riddles."

Picking up his pouch of kunai, which he had taken off to train, he strapped it back on and headed off for home. He walked a little ways, then turned back and waved to Daichi.

"Thanks for coming, Daichi-sama!" Then he was gone, over the ridge and out of sight, the riddling phrase still bouncing around his head.


	3. Chapter 2: Separated

Okay, this chapter is about Mara for a change.

However, we have most of the Kagai come in at this point, so here's a list of who the characters belong to. All of these people are excellent roleplayers from the site Shinobi: Living Legends. There is a link to this site on my profile.

Sarutobi Mara – Me

Tansen Kentou and Morino Taizen – Hokage

Itsukawa Nodoka – Kazekage

The overall plot belongs to Hokage.

------

A tall woman clambered up the rock face of the mountain, her arms straining as she pulled herself up, and reached for her next handhold. A large glass jug tied to her back was reflecting light patterns onto the sharp basalt rock face. Sweat coursed down the length of her face, and onto her neck, despite the fact that it was still an hour to noon. A gust of wind made her pull herself tight to the rock, and cling for dear life. She looked upward nervously, and then gave a sigh of relief when she saw that she was only another five inches from the top ledge. Gripping the hard stone with her fingers, she pulled her chin over, and then strained to pull the rest of herself up. She jumped and twisted slightly, so that she landed sitting down on the edge. Her legs had been tied together with bandages so that she could not use them on the climb.

Itsukawa Nodoka carefully unwrapped the bandages. For a long while, she just sat there, a foot away from this perilous ledge, drinking in the sights around her. Only a few feet away was a small circular pool into which a thin water fall poured making a rushing noise that made it seem much larger than it really was. A little stream wandered across the plateau to a hole in the ground by the far wall where it disappeared. A small glade of windswept, crisp mountain grass grew around the pool, and a few gnarled, wind beaten Roan trees stood huddled together in a spot where they were sheltered from the wind, but a sufficient amount of light reached them.

Nodoka untied the huge glass jug from her back, and got up on shaky feet. She walked slowly over to the pool, wincing as the circulation returned to her battered limbs. She filled her jug in the spring and set it aside. The Kagai member went into a series of stretches to help her recover. The muscles in her arms burned as she pulled them back. When she reached forward to touch her outstretched toes, her shoulders felt the sharp pull. Her expression stayed the same, and her breath even, and she never faltered, intent on the task at hand.

Clapping came from behind Nodoka, "Congrats! You finally did, what I did years ago, except I used only one arm then..."

A big man with a massive sword across his back emerged from a shaded area of the rocks,

He laughed, "You truly are pathetic, aren't you? Being unable to train, unable to fight, I wonder why you're even here. Taizen-sama must be slipping." He said sarcastically.

"So, when are you actually going to prove you belong here, Nodoka? You may be two years my senior, but you'd never know it with the weakness you show."

Nodoka plasted a very realistic hurt look on her face as she turned to face the big oaf, also making sure to adjust her posture so that her shoulders slumped and her breath came in ragged gulps. She took a few steps back as if shrinking away from Kentou. She stopped, and raised her head with false determination, and after keeping up the struggle between being hurt and hurting back she reverted to her usual self. She clapped, and let sarcasm take its usual monopoly over her face.

"Well done Kentou, I don't think I spotted any grammar mistakes in all that. You should be proud, especially since you used such difficult expressions." She smiled with faux sweetness, and took a confident stride toward the tall intimidating man.

The larger Kagai smirked.

"Who needs grammar when you have my strength? Besides, you shouldn't be talking back to me, I could crush you, so leave it." The smirk evaporated from his face as her sarcasm finally sunk in. He reached for his sword and then stopped himself. Taizen had forbidden the Kagai to fight among themselves.

Tansen Kentou clenched his fist in anger, "If Taizen-sama hadn't ordered me not to kill any of the idiots in this team, I would've slaughtered you in an instant. Besides, you're weak; you don't belong in the Kagai. You don't have the strength. You're only pulling this team down."

He walked past Nodoka, towards the ledge, and gazed out at the never-ending landscape. _The peacefulness of the land_, he whispered to himself, though Nodoka could most likely hear, "Disgusting. This peacefulness, one day... I will destroy it. Crush it with my power, and then marvel at the chaos of the land. And decorate it with the crimson color I desire."

Nodoka rolled her eyes, and inspected her nails as he spoke to her. She didn't even flinch when his hand reached for his sword. She stretched lazily as he made his spiel about crushing and whatnot. She made her way across the ledge, and back to her jug, letting a sly smile creep onto her face as she turned back to her rival. She seemed to be trying to think of something "appropriate" to say.

"It is evident that you will not be able to comprehend this advanced verbilage, but I will make an endeavor to get through your cranium, and compel you to comprehend that it is an unfeasibility for you to surpass me in anything." Her voice was cocky, meant to provoke the larger Kagai.

The other ninja thought for a minute, beginning to hold his fingers up to count. Suddenly, he got angry. A small vein appeared at the top of his head, under his cloth headband. He clenched his fist, and gritted his teeth, glaring at her.

"I don't know what the heck you just said, all I know is that you was making fun of me. If you want keep living, I tell you to stop now." Kentou said with an ominous ring in his voice.

------

_Don't these morons have anything better to do? Of course, not like I'm one to talk, sitting here watching them_. Behind a small peak of rock that stood about fifteen feet away from the arguers, the youngest member of Kagai sat on a ledge. It would have been at about at Kentou's head level, had there been any ground on that side for the idiot to stand on. Sarutobi Mara's dark brown eyes were closed, but she could hear every word that the pair threw at each other. Silently, she made a bet to herself. _When it comes down to a fight between those two, Nodoka will win, but not without injury._ The ghost of a small smile hovered about her lips. Humans were frustrating to work with, but they could be entertaining if one watched long enough from the sidelines.

Ordinarily, Mara would have shunned such an idle pastime, but it was in the daylight hours, and she had decided to gather some knowledge on her compatriots. Despite having lived outside of the shinobi villages for almost three years, she mostly only knew the other Kagai members by reputation. As she listened to Kentou's grammatically incorrect sentences, she decided that if she had to work with him on an assignment, she would leave him behind, no matter how angry he or his precious Taizen-sama got at her.

_Speak of the devil_. She thought wryly. Morino Taizen was even now attempting to sneak up on her. His breathing, though light, gave him away.

"So, who do you think will make it out with less scars, Kentou or Nodoka?" Taizen whispered happily as he came alongside her.

Mara did not open her eyes. There had been no point in seeing who it was, even before he gave himself away by speaking. Taizen was the only ninja she had ever met who could come so close to perfect stealth. He was the main reason she had joined Kagai in the first place, the one person who "was not quite as featherbrained as most". Coming from Mara, that was high praise indeed.

"Kentou would die," She said with her usual lack of elaborate words. "But Nodoka is overconfident. She would come away scarred."

Taizen's presence was abrupt but not unexpected. Even if he was no longer leader, he was still the founder, and the one most involved in the actions of Kagai's eclectic grouping of members. _So, I'm not the only one watching._

The older man chuckled, his usual happy smile upon his face, with his eyes closed, or so it seemed.

"I assume you've never seen Kentou fight, I admit, when I found him, he wasn't the brightest, nor is he now, but his strength is legendary. He's a front line fighter, only because he can't use his brain in the back lines. I think this could be an interesting fight, though it may have to be stopped before they kill each other." The second-in-command had a calm, steady voice that easily got on other people's nerves. "May I take a seat, my lady?"

Mara did not deign to reply to Taizen's first comment. It was true she had never seen Kentou in a real fight, but she stood by her original assessment. Her hypothesis was backed by her observations, but she did not put much stock in what Nodoka said. However, if she was half as smart as she pretended to be, she could probably figure out a way to negate Kentou's physical advantage. Either way, Mara hoped to be there when things came to a head.

In response to her companion's question, Mara opened her eyes to stare coldly at him. He had been joking, knowing that she did not accept company if there was a choice. Although it was her "leisure" time, she still wore the light, slim throwing blades that were her weapon of choice. Briefly, she spared a thought to wonder how easy it would have been to eliminate the two arguing ninja on the other side of the rock. But there would be no point in doing that, especially not now. Taizen would probably interfere, if his whispered conversation had not alerted Kentou and Nodoka to the watcher's presence already.

Sometimes she wondered what she looked like through others' eyes. She supposed she looked young, but it had been awhile since she had actually looked at herself in a mirror. She felt detached from the regular sense of time, as if she was an observer apart from the rest of the world. What did she look like to the Kagai? Perhaps a runaway. What about Konoha? What tales did they tell about why she left? There would be rumors and debates about it, doubtless. That was how the Konohians always were. But she had a good reason for leaving, and ending up where she was. Perhaps one day she would tell them.

Taizen stood there for a while until he no longer wanted to put up with Mara's stoic glare. He sighed, then brushed the collar of his coat, and began to walk away. He harnessed his chakra and began walking up the mountain.

Before he was out of sight, he turned his head slightly and told Mara, "It's obvious you don't want me here, so I'll leave. But... if they do get out of hand, Make sure Kentou doesn't kill himself in a frenzy, and Nodoka doesn't hurt Kentou's feeble mind too much."

Taizen took a few more steps up, then turned slightly, once more, "Oh, and it wouldn't hurt to get to know some of the other Kagai members. You're gonna get paired up with one of them sooner or later, you might as well find one thing you like now, and focus on that, rather than the things you hate. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to open up a bit; you've been very much a loner since you came here. It's not healthy, but then again, it's not my call. Just don't go mad, living in your own mind." He finished speaking with a smile, and a bit or sarcasm.

The ninja disappeared into a puff of smoke, gone to adventure by himself, leaving her to watch the pointless duel. Mara listened to Taizen's short lecture of advice as she had all the other lectures she had been given. She would remember it, and probably quote it back at Taizen when he was least expecting it, but it was very unlikely she would actually take any of it to heart. As Taizen left, a normal sarcastic person would probably have said, _"You might as well stay. The damage has already been done."_ But the fact was, Mara didn't want him to stay. And strangely enough, there wasn't a sarcastic bone in her body. Such comments, she felt, were unnecessary.

Even if things did come to a head between Kentou and Nodoka, she wasn't about to jump in and ask them nicely to stop. One fool was hard to explain things to, but two or more fools did not make the situation any better. Besides, they would probably both be out for her blood if she interfered. People with rivalries like theirs would just keep on going until one of them acknowledged the other as superior. And if that didn't happen, one of them would have to die. Sad but true. That was how the world was made.

As for partners, who knew what pairs Niirosan Saru would try to put them in? She didn't envy the leader's job. If even one pair was incompatible, the Kagai could end up several members short. Heaven help them if she got stuck with Kentou. That would be a disaster and a half. Hopefully, Saru would have enough sense not to put Nodoka and Kentou together. Even if they didn't kill each other, they'd be too busy insulting each other to get anything done.

Nodoka smiled, obviously getting the reaction she was hoping for. Her concentration was not on her rival. She had been listening to the listeners.

"I honestly don't know what Taizen was thinking when he chose you to join the Kagai. How should I put this? You have no strategy. Absolutely none, I wouldn't be surprised if a Genin could beat you."

It was one of Nodoka's more forward insults. The woman went into a fighting stance, closing her mind for reason known only to her. Quickly, Kentou threw four kunai at her.

"You believe a Genin could defeat me!? Then I wonder what could beat you, you poor excuse for a ninja!"

He grabbed some more kunai and shuriken and fired them at her, then with a swift movement, he kicked off the ground, and lunged at her, sword in hand.

Mara sighed and put one hand on her forehead. _Terrific. Absolutely terrific._ They were at it now. The question was, would they have enough sense to stop, or was she going to have to stop them? Problem was, she wasn't good at stopping people without killing them. Throwing knives were used to maim and to kill, not to injure. Of course, it would probably take more than a mere injury to stop those two from going at it. _They both want this fight. Nodoka was trying to provoke Kentou into even as he was trying to provoke her. No wonder it started, really._

Since Nodoka at least was probably aware she was there, Mara stood up on the ledge she had chosen for a seat and looked over the top of the rock pillar at the two contestants. She crossed her arms on top of the hard, brown stone, dark eyes gazing coldly at her two fellow Kagai members as they went at it. Some of the kunai went past Nodoka and struck the rock, mere inches from her hand, but she didn't flinch. It was a simple skill to know whether or not a weapon would hit its target, especially for someone like Mara, who specialized in throwing weapons.

_I suppose I'll have to stop them if they actually manage to get to the point where one of them will die. What a pain._

Nodoka had no trouble with the throwing weapons. She dodged easily, also using the metal plates on her arms to deflect them. The muscles in her legs bunched, and she leaped, right over Kentou's blade. A backwards leap brought her into a crouch on a rocky outcrop. She waited here for her opponent's next move. Her copper orange braids settled onto her back, and for a moment her right eye was uncovered, due to a breeze that blew her bangs to the side. It was milky white almost all over, with a barely visible jade iris, and where the spark of human intelligence usually was, there was only the dull sheen of life. Her silver earring swung for a moment. She was yet again perfectly still. Only the constant rise and fall of her chest gave away the fact that she was still alive. The large sword stabbed into the ground but that didn't stop Kentou. He pulled it out swiftly, and was already making his second attack. He swung his sword a second time, hoping to chop off Nodoka's head.

The sound of clattering metal rang in the air. A small body held the large sword away from Nodoka with two crossed katana.

"Stop wasting time you two!" Kanashii practically yelled at the two more experienced ninja that he separated, trembling slightly from the force of Kentou's blade.

"Niirosan has called a meeting, if you guys want to kick the life out of each other, do it another time."

His blue eyes moved back to Nodoka and then to Kentou, letting his small katana fall from its position, back to his side.

Kanashii began sliding his blades back into there holders. Pausing briefly to inspected the large, inhuman, dents on their sides, realizing if they were hit with anything more them that, they would've snapped and he wouldn't be standing were has was right then. Frowning unhappily he began to walk off, toward the meeting room.

Kentou looked absolutely dumbfounded, but he stopped anyway. He brought the sword up, and placed it over his right shoulder.

"You're lucky Kanashii saved you, I wouldn't have held back. You're lucky to be alive. Next time you wont be so lucky." He practically growled.

Nodoka, on the other hand, had been ready to blast Kentou with chakra. She just barely put out the sparks in time to avoid hitting her would-be rescuer. Kentou turned and placed the sword in the sheath, he began walking to the meeting room. He was in a foul mood now, but Mara was actually rather relieved that she didn't have to come between the two idiots. It was probably better if someone with a higher regard for the lives of the contestants stopped them. _I suppose I'm required to attend the meeting too. _This was a bad time for a meeting, with tensions running so high, but there was nothing they could do about it now. Mara turned and jumped down to a lower ledge from where she stood, then down again, headed towards the meeting room.


End file.
